It is something that everyone hopes will never happen, but medical emergencies do happen - and responding confidently and quickly in these situations is vital for the best possible outcomes.

From allergic reactions and choking to heart attacks and cardiac arrest, certain emergencies require immediate intervention to prevent death. In this blog we will look at a few common medical emergencies and how to respond in the initial moments for the best chance of a good outcome.

While cardiac arrest is thankfully rare in children, it does happen, and knowing the differences when responding to a child in cardiac arrest compared to an adult can be the difference between life and death.

12 young people die each week in the UK as a result of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and each year, sadly 270 children die from SCA at school.

A common medical issue among children is an allergic reaction - these can range from mild to life-threatening depending on the allergy. Steps should be taken to prevent children with allergies from coming into contact with allergens, but this isn’t always possible and accidents happen.

Acting decisively and promptly in an allergy situation can prevent serious harm or death.

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a life-saving piece of equipment used to shock someone who is in cardiac arrest. An AED is the only definitive treatment for someone in cardiac arrest and can increase survival rates from below 10% to over 74% if used promptly.

An AED is only effective when used within minutes of collapse, for this reason it is vital that anyone responding to a cardiac arrest has the confidence to act decisively.

For Restart a Heart Day 2024, Imperative Training along with our partners at defibshop and North West Ambulance Service, set up at the Trafford Centre